But the more the Mets researched the 36-year-old free agent, the greater their worry about his physical viability became, to the point that one executive said the switch-hitter no longer is a candidate for the Mets.

The free agent market for shortstops is barren, especially for teams on a budget. And the Mets are in an unenviable position as Ruben Tejada, the author of a .519 OPS in 227 Major League trips to the dish last season, is first on the depth chart at the present moment.